Lubricating device for sewing machines



Dec. 14, 1948. F. PARRY LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed March 20, 1945 Dec. 14, 1948. F. PARRY LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1945 WA thew %-7- Patented Dec. 14, 1948 LUBRICAT ING DEVICE FOR SEW-LNG .MACHINES Frank Parry, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N, J a corporation of New-Jersey Application March ,20, 1945, Serial No. 583;700

8 Claims. (Cl. 112- 256) This invention relates to loop-taker mechanisms of sewing machines and more particulartly to lubricating devices for supplying lubricant to the thread-carrier raceway of a looptaker mechanism.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple lubricating means of the above noted character which is designed to supply a requisite quantity of lubricant to the threadcarrier raceway of a loop-taker during only the operation of the sewing machine.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide the thread-carrier raceway of a horizontal axis rotary loop-taker with lubricant from a lubricant reservoir disposed at a level beneath that of the loop-taker.

The invention both in structure and in operation, as well as additional objects thereof, will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a left side sectional elevation of the loop-taker mechanism and the gear-casing.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the loop-taker mechanism and the gear-casing, taken substantially along line 2--2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a left side sectional elevation of the lubricant measuring rod, taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. '2.

Fig. 4 is a front sectional elevation taken su stantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partial rear elevation of'Fi'g.1, show-- ing the closure plate as being partly broken away.

Fig. '6 is an exploded perspective View of a portion of the lubricatingexpedient shown in Fig. '2. The present invention is shown in the drawings as embodied in a sewing machine of the type disclosed in' my prior United States Patent No. 2,324,873.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a sewing machine comprising a work-supporting bed-plate l'll -to which is secured the usual throat-plate ll provided with feed-slots, as l2. Operating through the feedslots i2 'is a feed-dog l'3 which "is supported and actuated by mechanism which is fully illustrated and described in the above noted patent.

Disposed below the bed-plate I'll is a loop-taker l of the rotary hook type having its axis of rotation extending horizontally crosswise of the bedplate H3 and substantially parallel to the line of feed of the Work.

The loop-taker M has a body including a cylindr ical side wall I5, :aninne'r wa'll I 6, an'd a hori- 'zontally apertured hub 11.

The side wall is internally provided with an annular raceway I8. Journaled in the loop-taker raceway 1-8 is a "peripheral bearing-rib l9 of a thread-carrier screws, one of which is shown as at 23 upon one end of a short loop-taker shaft 24 disposed below the bed-plate l-U to extend horizontally rearwardly from the loop-taker M. The loop-taker shaft 24 is 'rotatably journaled in horizontally spaced bearings 25 and 26 seated in the opposite side walls of a hollow gear-casing '21 depending from the "bed-plate H! and, in the present case, integral with said bed-plate. The gear-casing 2'1 functions also as a lubricant-reservoir,and

access to the mechanism housed within the chamber 28 of the casing may behad by removal of an end-closure plate'2-9 detachably fastened byscrews, as 30; to the casing. i

Secured upon the loop-taker shaft 24, by a screw"3-I, andbetween the bearings 25 and .216, is a spiral pinion-gear 32'. The pinion-gear 32 is engaged, within the chamber 28 of the casing 21, by a spiral driving-gear 33 carried by a rotary actuating or bed-shaft 34' disposed below-and extending horizontally crosswise of the looptaker shaft 24. The bed-shaft '34 is rotatably journaled in a bearing-bushing 35 carried :by a

'wall of the casing 21; the endof said bed-shaft 34, which carries-the driving gear '33, terminating within an apertured bearing lug 36 integral with the cover-plate "2 9 and disposed within the casing- "21. The-ratio of gears32 and 33 is preferably such that'the loop-taker l4 'rotatestwice for -every rotation of shaft 34.

The loop-taker "shaft '24 is longitudinal-1y provided with a substantially straight cylindrical 'bore 31' which 'is'eff-ec'tively closed at the end of said shaft 24 Within the'hub H of the'loop-ta'ker by means of a disk 38"forcefitte'd within one end ofthe hub H. The other end of the bore 3'! is open; said bore 31 being disposed concentrically with the shaft 2'4.

The closed end portion of the shaft '24'is ex- "ter-nal'ly iormed wi'th a circumferentialgroove 39 connected with the bore 31 of the shaft by a radial shaft-aperture 40. The inner wall [6 of the loop-taker is provided with a lubricant-duct 4| connecting the circumferential groove 39 of the loop-taker shaft 24 with a duct 42 formed in the cylindrical side wall l of the loop-taker to terminate in the raceway l8.

The end of the loop-taker shaft 24, opposit the loop-taker l4, terminates within the bearing 25, thus forming a chamber or lubricant cavity 43 which is concentric with the shaft 24 and which communicates with the shaft-bore 31. One end of this chamber 43 is enclosed by means of the gasket 44 and cover-plate 45 which is secured to the casing 2'! by means of screws 46.

The rear wall of the casing 2! is provided with a cylindrical aperture 4! which. is disposed in parallelism with the loop-taker shaft-[24 and, as shown in Fig. 5, in the same horizontal plane as the loop-taker shaft. 'Also provided within the wall of the casing 21 is a slot 48 communicating with the chamber 43 and the aperture 41. This slot 48 is also, like the chamber 43, enclosed by the cover-plate 45. Secured within the aperture 41, by means of a screw 49, is a cylindrical cartridge or lubricant-delivery conduit 59which is closed at one end as at 5| and provided with a side opening 52 disposed opposite the gear 32.

The chambered portion 28 of the gear-casing 21 is adapted to be supplied with lubricant,

through'the oil test rod sleeve 64, to a height as indicated by line 54 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The port 53 is for access to the scrbws in the driving gear 33 and may be closed by means of the screw 55. Whenever the machine is running, the gear 33, whose lower portion extends into the lubricant, rotates as an oil sling, thereby to pick up the lubricant or oil and in conjunction with gear 32 throw it upon a wick 56 carried by the cartridge or tube 50. As may be best seen in Figs. 2 and 4 that portion of the wick 56 which is exposed within the tube opening 52 is clearly in a position to intercept oil thrown off by the gears 32 and 33.

I In order to insure raising of the oil from its normal level to that of the wick 56, there is provided a baffle-plate or oil-shield 51 in the form of an open-bottom cup which is press-fitted upon a reduced portion 58 of the lug 36. As may be best seen in Fig. 1, the baffle-plate 51 is provided with a notched portion or opening 69 at its lower edge at a point below the lubricantlevel, and it is cut away segmentally as at 60, at its upper edge. It is the function of this baffle-plate 51 to cooperate with the vertical inner surface 61 of the casing 27 in preventing the gear 33 from cutting a swath in the oil, which latter condition does not permit the oil to be picked up by the gear. The vertical surfaces 61 and 68 of casing 21 and bafile-plate 51, respectively, are each spaced slightly from and in parallel relation with an opposite side of the gear 33, thereby to prevent the oil adjacent the gear from-being disturbed by the motion of the gear. The. oil, therefore, during the time when the gear is rotating,"will flow through opening 69 to be picked up by the gear and consequently thrown toward the wick '56. It may be readily understood that when the 'machine ceases to run the gears 32 and 33 stop and no oil can find its way to the exposed portion of the wick 56 until the machine is again brought of the loop-taker shaft bearing 25, rearwardly of the loop-taker shaft 24. Within the bearingcavity 43 is an oil-absorbent pad 59 engaged by the wick 56; said pad being held spaced from the rearward end of the hollow loop-taker shaft by a relatively stiff foraminous barrier shown herein as a Wire screen-10. The screen I6 is held against the shoulder 6| of the cavity 43 by means of the cover-plate 45 which presses the wick 56 against the pad 59 which in turn exerts a force against the screen. The screen on the side opposite to the pad 59 is engaged by a second wick 62 located within the bore 31 of the loop-taker shaft 24 and thus the oil splashed upon the wick 55 will find its way to pad 59 which will deliver the oil through the screen 10 to the second wick 62.

It is the function of the screen 18 to prevent the wick 56 or the pad 59 from engagin the revolving loop-taker shaft 24 and at the same time to permit the oil in the pad 59 to be readily delivered to the wick 62.

It will be readily understood that the operator may easily remove the cover-plate 45 for the purpose of replacing the wicks 56 and 62, as well as the pad 59 and screen 10.

The oil which is delivered to the wick 62 is fed lengthwise of the shaft-bore 31 until it reaches that end of the wick adjacent to the loop-taker l4 where, by centrifugal force, it is thrown from the wick outwardly into the radial apertures 48 and 4| and thus it isv delivered to duct 42 from which the Oil spills into the raceway l8.

It may be readily understood that, whenever the machine is stopped, the oil is no longer splashed upon the wick 56 by the gears 32 and 33, and further, there is no centrifugal force acting on the oil in the wick 62. Therefore, whenever the sewing machine is inoperative, the looptakerlubricating means automatically ceases to function and upon the starting of the machine this means will immediately become effective again. -As a consequence of this automatic action, there is no necessity of initially a running the machine to clear excess lubricant from the raceway of the loop-taker and there is also no neces- "sity for the operator to have to remember to turn on any lubricating means before operating the machine. It will be noted that the greater the speed at which the device is driven, the greater will be the centrifugal force exerted on the oil and, therefore, a larger quantity of oil will be available at the raceway to meet the increased demands of the loop-taker.

As hereinbefore noted, the preferred level for the oil is indicated by line 54 in Figs. 1 and.3. A test rod 63 is provided and is removably mounted within a sleeve 64 force-fitted into an aperture 65 formed in the wall of the reservoir 21. A neck 66 is out about the lower portion of the rod 62 for indicating the preferred oil level within the reservoir,

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate, a substantially oil-tight chamber disposed below the level of the bed-plate and providing a lubricant-supply reservoir in the lower portion of said chamber, a rotary actuating shaft having at least a portion thereof extending into said chamber, a horizontally disposed loop-taker shaft provided with a longitudinal lubricant-conducting bore and being disposed above the level of said lubricant-supply with each of the opposite end portions thereof .iournaled in a respective one of a pair of opposing wall sections of said chamber,

said loop-taker shaft being operatively connected to and disposed transversely of said rotary actuating shaft, a loop-taker having a threade carrier raceway and being mounteduponone end of said loop-taker shaft with said raceway in communication with said shaft bore, a lubricantconducting wick disposed outside the-confinesof said loop-taker shaft and above the level of said lubricant-supply, said wick extending to one end of said bore in said loop-taker shaft for delivering lubricant to said bore, and means disposed within said chamber and rendered effective upon rotation of said rotary actuating shaft for delivering lubricant from said lower portion of said chamber to said wick,

2. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate, a substantially oil-tight chamber disposed below the level of said bed-plate and providing a lubricant-supply reservoir in the lower portion of said chamber, a rotary actuating; shaft having at least a portion thereof extending into said chamber, a horizontally disposed loop-taker shaft provided with a longitudinal bore and being disposed above the level of said lubricant-supply with each of the opposite end, portions of said loop-taker shaft journaled in a respective one of a pair of opposing wall sections of said chamber, said loop-taker shaft being operatively connected to and disposed transversely of said rotary actuating shaft, a loop-taker having a thread-carrier raceway andlbeing mounted upon one end of said loop-taker shaft with said raceway in communication with said shaft bore, lubricant-conducting wicking disposed outside the confines of said loop-taker shaft and above the level of said lubricant-supply, one end of said wicking being disposed adjacent one end of said longitudinal bore, a relatively stiff lubricantpenetrable means disposed between and in engagement with said wicking and said shaft bore, means effective to shield all but that end of said wicking remote from said shaft bore from said lubricant-supply, and means associated with said lubricant-supply chamber and rendered effective upon rotation of said actuating shaft for deliveri ing lubricant from said chamber to the last mentioned end of said wicking.

3. In a sewing machine, a rotary loop-taker having a thread-carrier raceway, a casing providing a lubricant-supply chamber, a horizontally disposed loop-taker shaft provided with a longitudinal bore connected with said raceway and disposed above the level of the lubricant-supply in said chamber, a lubricant-conducting wick disposed within said shaft bore and rotatable therewith, lubricant-conducting wicking disposed outside the confines of said shaft bore and above the level of said lubricant-supply with a delivery end portion thereof disposed adjacent one end of said shaft bore, a relatively stiff foraminous barrier disposed between and in engagement with said wick and wicking, and means associated with said lubricant-supply chamber and rendered effective upon rotation of said shaft for deliveringlubricant from said chamber to the end portion of said wicking remote from said shaft bore.

4. In a sewing machine having a lubricantsupply chamber, a rotary loop-taker, and mechanism including a hollow rotary shaft for actuating said loop-taker, the improvement which consists in the provision of means for delivering lubricant from said chamber to the hollow in said rotary shaft, said means including a lubricant-conducting wick disposed in the hollow of said shaft and being rotatable therewith, a stationarycavity into which one endof'said-hollow shaft projects, stationary lubricant-conducting wicking located inv said cavity adjacentlthelend of said rotary shaft, and a relatively stiff lubricant-penetrable member interposed between and in engagement with said'stationary wicking and said shaft Wick.

5. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate, a substantially oil-tight chamber disposed below the level of" said bed-plate, said chamber including spaced vertical walls of which one is formed with a lubricant cavity, said chamber'providing alubricant. supply reservoir in the lower portion thereof, a rotary actuating shaft having at least a portion thereof extending into said chamber, a horizontally disposed loop-taker shaft provided with a longitudinal bore and being disposed above the level ofsaid lubricant-supply and journaled in atleast one of said walls and having one of its ends-projecting into said lubricant-cavity, said loop-taker shaft being operatively connectedto and'disposed transversely of said rotary actuating shaft, a rotary loop-taker having a threadc-arrierraceway and being mounted upon one end of said loop-taker shaft with said raceway in communication with said shaft bore, lubricant-'- conducting means disposed in and rotatable with said shaft bore, a lubricant-delivery conduit having one end projecting into said lubricant chamber and terminating at its other end in said lubricant-cavity, said lubricant-delivery conduit being disposed above the level of said lubricantsupply, lubricant-transmitting wicking disposed in said lubricant-delivery conduit and having one end thereof extending to said longitudinal bore, and means disposed within said chamber and rendered effective upon rotation of said rotary shaft for delivering lubricant from said reservoir to that end of the lubricant-delivery conduit projecting into said chamber.

6. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate, a rotary actuating shaft, a substantially oil-tight chamber disposed below the level of said bedplate and providing a lubricant-supply reservoir in the lower portion thereof, said chamber including spaced vertical walls of which one is formed with a lubricant-cavity located in the exposed outer portion thereof, a horizontally disposed looptaker shaft provided with a longitudinal bore and being disposed above the level of said lubricant-supply and journaled in at least one of said walls with one of its ends projecting into said lubricant-cavity, a loop-taker having a thread-carrier raceway and being mounted upon one end of said loop-taker shaft with said raceway in communication with said shaft bore, lubricant-conducting means disposed within said shaft bore, a substantially horizontally disposed lubricant-delivery conduit having one end thereof projectin into said chamber and terminating at its other end in said lubricant-cavity, said lubricant-delivery conduit being disposed above the level of said lubricant-supply, a lubricant-transmitting wick disposed in said lubricant-delivery conduit, a cover-plate removably secured over said lubricant-cavity and providin for access to said lubricating-conducting means and said lubricant-transmitting wick for removal of the same, and means actuated by said rotary actuating shaft for delivering lubricant from said lower portion of said chamber to that end of the lubricant-delivery conduit projecting into said chamber.

'7. In a sewing machine having a bed-plate, a rotary actuating shaft, a substantially oil-tight 7 chamber disposed below the lev'el of said bedplate and providing a' lubricant-supply reservoir 'in the lower portion thereof, said chamber. including spaced walls of which one is formed with "a lubricant-cavity located in the exposed outer portion thereof, a horizontally disposed looptaker shaft provided with a longitudinal bore and being disposed above the level of said lubricantsupply and journaled in at least one of said Walls with one of its ends projecting into said lubricant cavity, said loop-taker shaft being operatively connectedto said rotary actuating shaft, a loop taker having a thread-carrier raceway and being mounted upon one end of said loop-taker shaft with said raceway in communication with said shaft bore, lubricant-conducting means disposed in and rotatable with said. shaft bore, a stationary lubricant-delivery conduit having one end projecting into said lubricant chamber and terminating at its other end in said lubricant-cavity, said lubricant-delivery conduit being disposed above the level of said lubricant-supply, lubricant-transmittin wicking disposed in said lubricant-delivery conduit, a relatively stifi forami-. nous barrier disposed between and in engagement with said lubricant-conducting means and said wicking, and meansdisposed within said chamber and rendered effective upon rotation of said actuating shaft for delivering lubricant from said lower portion of said chamber to that end of the '8. In a sewing machine having a lubricant supply chamber, -a rotary loop-taker, and mechanism including an internally bored rotary shaft for actuating said loop-taker, the improvement which consists in the provision of means for delivering lubricant from said chamber to the internal bore in said shaft, said means including a lubricant-conducting wick disposed in the internal bore of said shaft and being rotatable therewith; a first stationary oil-conducting channel spaced from said internally bored shaft, a second stationary oil-conducting channel connecting said first oil-conducting channel and the internal bore of said shaft, and a foraminous barrier interposed at the juncture of said second channel and the internal bore of said shaft.

- Y FRANK PARRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of-record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS y Date 2,381,685 Parry Aug. 7, 

